Check out more Legal All-Stars Since joining Foley & Lardner five years ago, Jesse Byam-Katzman has established himself as a go-to litigator. Byam-Katzman is a business litigation lawyer and member of the firm’s Business Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. His work includes litigating contracts, distribution and franchise, and trade secret and copyright disputes in both state and federal court. He also has experience conducting internal investigations and representing clients in connection with government investigations and enforcement actions. His general business acumen has allowed him to successfully work and develop relationships with clients spanning different industries, particularly those in the manufacturing and financial services industries. Asked what he enjoys most about his job, Byam-Katzman said it’s the competition and collaboration. “As cliche as it may sound, working as a team to achieve favorable outcomes for our clients, whether it be through a dispositive motion, trial or settlement, is the most enjoyable part of my practice,” he said. As technology continues to evolve, managing and leveraging electronic discovery has become a larger challenge. “Although rewarding, developing strategies to distill what can be millions of electronic records exchanged in discovery into a cogent and concise story poses unique challenges,” he said. Though Byam-Katzman has lived in Milwaukee for nearly a decade, he grew up in Brooklyn in a Caribbean neighborhood that borders an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. He was raised by his mother, a public school teacher, and his father, a transit workers’ union employee. He took an early interest in ice hockey and later played at the collegiate level for Lawrence University in Appleton. Byam-Katzman points to these experiences as providing a strong foundation to understanding the needs and perspectives of different populations, which he says has helped him greatly throughout his career. https://youtu.be/9ihg5XvFFsI

Check out more Legal All-Stars Timothy Schelwat became a lawyer so he could help people. Schelwat, an attorney at Hupy and Abraham, enjoys “taking a situation where someone may be involved in an accident through no fault of their own and dealing with multibillion dollar insurance agencies who at face value would have the upper hand against an individual.” “That’s where we step in, hold entities accountable and make sure they pay a price that is reasonable and fair in every respect,” he said. Schelwat started his career at Hupy and Abraham in 2002 after graduating from Drake University Law School with a law degree in 1997. Since then, he has proven to be an integral part of the Hupy and Abraham’s Milwaukee team by handling cases related to auto and motorcycle accidents, slip and falls, and administrative work managing operations in the firm’s Illinois offices. “I’ve always been extremely interested in the law and in the indispensable role that the judicial system as a whole plays in the creations maintenance of civil societies,” Schelwat said. An avid Harley-Davidson rider himself, Schelwat is a vocal advocate for motorcycle safety. He has given lectures to motorcyclists throughout the Midwest on legal and insurance coverage issues. He has been awarded for his extraordinary work and dedication to his practice by being recognized on the Wisconsin Super Lawyers List. He is also a recipient of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers List by The National Trial Lawyers Association and is a board-certified advocate. Additionally, Schelwat is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Hawaii State Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin. “Attorney Schelwat shows his conviction to maintain a high level of service and expert in the law, day after day,” said his colleague, Aubrey Roth. “His talent, drive and hard work absolutely deserves to be recognized after his many years of service, and what is presumably going to continue for several more.” https://youtu.be/gO7FtoLp6fc